Roof construction



Dec. 30, 1930. A. A. HEEREN 6 5 ROOF CONS TRUCTI ON Filed Feb. 18, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR .fl/PTHu/efl #55 BEN ATTORN Y A. A. HEEREN Dec. 30, 1939.

ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 04E THU J4 HEEEEN- ATTORNE Patented Dec. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR A. HEZEREN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T UNITED STATES GYPSUM COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ROOF CONSTRUCTION Application filed February 18, 1929. Serial No. 340,810.

This invention relates to building constructions and has reference more particularly to roof constructions.

In roof constructions following the regular practice, the poured slab, the plaster board supporting same, or the precast tiles, are placed flush with the upper flange of the main purlin. With sloping roofs, the air currents leading up to the ventilator are broken up by the transversely extending main purlins so that a dead air space exists back of each main purlin with the result that the lower surface of the slab does not dry out and mildew forms back of each main purlin due to said slow drying. In roof slabs where the supporting rail is partially or completely embedded, a .certain amount of corrosion of the steel inside the slab takes place as said steel cannot be protected by painting. Also, the insulation value of the slab is considerably decreased due to any embedded rail construction and where the lower flange of the rail is exposed, condensation of moisture takes place in cold weather on said flange in manufacturing plants having a humid atmosphere. Also, with ordinary ra1l supports for the roof slab of precast tile, it is impossible to get suflicient bearing surface for the abutting ends of the tile when said tiles rest upon the ball of the rail.

An object of this invention, therefore is to provide a roof construction in which the roof slab is elevated above the main purlin to permit free circulation of air between the main purlins and the slab and thus promote quick drying and freedom from mildew.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roof construction in which the rail is 3 not embedded in the slab so that said rail may be painted to prevent corrosion thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roof construction in which the full insulation value of the slab will be realized and condensation on the steel will be eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to invert a rail so that the abutting ends of precast tiles rest upon the base of the rail or other section rather than the ball, thus materially increasing the bearing surface.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clip of rigid construction which will connect the main purlins to inverted rails or other sections for supporting the roof slab; also to improve roof constructions in other respects hereinafter specified and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View purlin,

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through my improved roof construction,

Fig. 5 is a transverse section view through a modified form of the invention,

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the device shown in Fig. 5, and 4 Fig. 7 is a section elevation of another form of my invention.

In the preferred form of my invention, the upper angles or beams 10 of the roof truss support the main purlins 11 which are preferably in the form of channel strips having flanges 12. The angles or beams 10 usually extend at an angle to the horizontal so as to give slope to the roof. Rails 13 of standard construction are placed on the upper flanges 12 in inverted position with the ball 14 of the rail resting on said flanges and the base flange 15 0f the rail extending above the upper flange 12. The sheets of plaster board 16 are then placed on the rail base 15 and the plastic material such as gypsum 17 is then poured over the plasterboard to form the roofslab. Precast tile may be supported on the rail bases 15 instead of the poured slab, if desired. A clip 18 encloses the rail flange 15 and has a pro ecting finger 19 extending upwardly into the poured slab 17 so as to anchor saidslab to the rail.

. In order to securely attach the rail 13 to the upper purlin flange 12, I provide an imof the purlin.

proved type of clip 20 which has a base section 21 resting directly upon the upper flange 12. A U-shaped flange 22 may be formed on one edge of the base section 21 and an L- shaped flange 23 formed on the opposite edge of said base section 21. The upper part of the clip 20 is shaped to conform to the rail 13 and is provided with a slot 24 through which passes a bolt 25. The bolt 25 passes through the Web of the rail 13 and through the upper end of a similar clip 20 so that a pair of clips supports each rail as seen in Fig. 4. Suitable reinforcing steel or mesh 26 is provided in the poured slab 17 to increase the strength thereo While I have illustrated a rail 13 as the preferred form of my slab support, it should i be understood that any other suitable shape of steel section may be used with a suitable change in the shape of the'clip 20. Also,- the main purlins 11 and the roof truss angles 10 may be replaced by any other suitable steel shapes. Thus, as shown in Fig. 5, a channel 28 is provided instead of the rail, said channel having outstanding flanges 29 formed thereon for supporting the floor slab. Precast tile 30 may also be used and suflicient bearing is provided by flanges 29 to properly support the ends of the tiles Without danger of failure by crushing at the ends of the tile. In this form of the invention, the flanged channel may be secured to the channel purlins 11, by a clip 31 which is attached to the lower section of the channel 28by a bolt 32, and then. extends under the upper flange 12 In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 7, a T beam 33 is substituted for the rail'or flanged channel. This T beam 33 may be attached to the purlin channels 11 by angle clips 34 and suitable bolts 35. While aplaster board, poured slab is shown in Fig. 7, it should be understood that a precast tile may be used in this form and that shown in Fig. 1 if desired.

I would state in conclusion that while the above example constitutes certain practical embodiments of my invention I do not wish to limit myself precisely to these details, since, manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departing from the main purlins in spaced relation, a plurality of inverted metallic rails connecting said main purlins, means for connecting said rails to said purlins, plaster boards extending be tween the inverted bases of said rails and supported thereby, and a poured roof slab supported by said plaster board and said 1'31 S.

3. In a roof construction, a plurality of main purlins in spaced relation, a plurality of inverted metallic rails supported by said purlins, clips for connecting said rails to said purlins, a cementitious slab supported by the inverted bases of said rails, and an anchoring clip connecting said slab to the inverted bases of said rails.

4. In a building construction, a series of beams in spaced, parallel relation, a series of metallic support members extending at right angles to said beams and connected thereto, said support members having flanges of greater area than the portion of the support members connected to the beams, and a cementitious slab supported by said flan es.

ARTHUR A. ,HEEREri.

spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In'aroof construction, a plurality of main purlins in spaced relation, a plurality of metallic rails connecting said purlins and supported thereby, said rails being in inverted position with the ball thereof resting upon said purlins, angle clips securing said inverted rails to said purlins, and a cementitious roof slab supported by said rails and spaced apart from said purlins by said rails.

2. In a roof construction, a plurality of 

